 "Devendra Fadnavis")
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday expanded his cabinet with the induction of 10 new faces and elevation of minister of state for home, Ram Shinde, to the cabinet rank. Governor C Vidyasagar Rao administered the oath of office and secrecy to six cabinet ministers and five ministers of state.
With today's induction, Fadnavis aimed to tighten his grip over the party and also please BJP allies Shiv Sena (SS), Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS)and Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP). The Chief Minister also focused on giving greater representation to Vidarbha, Marathwada, north Maharashtra and western Maharashtra in a bid to further consolidate BJP's presence.
Shiv Sena joined today's expansion after being sidelined during the expansion of the Union Cabinet, but left unhappy as it was denied a Cabinet berth. Sena has been assured home portfolio to be assigned to one of the party's ministers of state. Incidentally, the party's president Uddhav Thackeray was conspicuous by his absence at the swearing-in.
| DEBATABLE REJIG |
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The Chief Minister refrained from excluding any minister from the council of ministers to avoid discontent ahead of the monsoon session beginning July 18.
Apart from Shinde, other BJP legislators who were sworn in as cabinet ministers included former leader of opposition in the state council, Pandurang Phundkar (legislator from Buldhana), three-time party legislator, Jaikumar Rawal (Sindakhed), former chief minister Shivajirao Patil-Nilangekar's grandson, Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar (Nilanga), former MP Subhash Deshmukh (Solapur south). RSP founder Mahadev Jankar (legislative council) was also made cabinet minister.
Shinde, who was elected from Karjat Jamkhed seat, and Jankar belong to the Dhangar community, which has been quite aggressive in demanding reservation in the state.
Those inducted as ministers of state include Shiv Sena legislators Arjun Khotkar (Jalna), Gulabrao Patil (Jalgaon rural), BJP legislators Ravindra Chavan (Dombivli), Madan Yeravar (Yavatmal) and SSS leader Sadabhu Khot (member of the legislative council from Sangli district).
Patil hails from former BJP minister Eknath Khadse's home turf ,Jalgaon, while Khotkar belongs to Jalna, the native district of state BJP president Raosaheb Danve. With today's expansion, the state cabinet's strength rose to 39 from 29.
Meanwhile, NCP has strongly criticized Fadnavis for the induction of Fundkar, Patil, Rawal, Patil-Nilangekar and Chavan despite facing charges of corruption and their alleged involvement in various offences.
Much Debated Rejig
*With today's expansion strength of Fadnavis' cabinet increases to 39 from 29
*CM focuses on greater representation to Vidarbha, Marathwada, north Maharashtra and western Maharashtra. However, none from Mumbai inducted
*BJP veteran Pandurang Phundkar, who was closely associated with late Gopinath Munde, gets ministerial berth
*With elevation of Ram Shinde to cabinet and induction of Mahadev Jankar as cabinet minister, CM attempts to please the Dhangar community which is pursuing reservation in the state
*Shiv Sena nominates firebrand legislators Arjun Khotkar and Gulabrao Patil while not selecting anyone from the state council
*SSS leader Sadabhu Khot's induction is much talked about as he has been quite consistent in raising farmers' issues and openly took on NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
